Will PA UC approve my claim after quitting healthcare job due to unsafe staffing and corporate bullying?
I'm really stressed about my UC claim after leaving my healthcare position last week. The facility where I worked underwent major management changes in January, and things went downhill fast. Corporate brought in new directors who started pushing us to handle more patients than was safely possible with our reduced staff. As a certified nursing assistant, I was put in situations where my license could have been at risk due to unsafe patient ratios. At least 6 other staff members quit in the past month alone! The social worker (who's a mandated reporter) also resigned because she was being pressured to overlook reporting requirements that protect patients. I documented everything including unsafe assignments and the dates/times I raised concerns to management. Has anyone successfully gotten PA unemployment after quitting a healthcare job for similar reasons? I'm actively searching for new positions but need something to bridge the gap. Really nervous about the 'voluntary quit' aspect of my claim.
20 comments
Ethan Taylor
if ur situation was realy that bad u might actually get approved. i quit a nursing home job in 2023 and still got benefits after i showed the texts from my boss making me skip breaks and threatening to fire me if i didn't take extra shifts. make sure u have proof!! emails, texts, anything showing they were making u do unsafe stuff. they'll send u a questionare about why u quit and u need to be SUPER detailed in ur answer. good luck!
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Aisha Khan
•Thanks for the hope! I kept all the assignment sheets showing dangerous patient ratios and emails where I expressed concerns. Did you have to attend a hearing or anything? How long did it take to get approved after quitting?
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Yuki Ito
You have a valid case for what PA UC considers a "necessitous and compelling reason" to quit. Healthcare professionals have specific protections when it comes to licensure risk and patient safety issues. When you receive the fact-finding questionnaire: 1. Document SPECIFIC safety violations that occurred 2. Provide exact dates you reported these issues to management 3. Explain precisely how these conditions placed your CNA license at risk 4. Include names/positions of other staff who quit for similar reasons 5. Reference any state regulations or facility policies that were violated The key is demonstrating that you made reasonable efforts to preserve your employment before quitting. Did you request transfers to other units? Did you formally document your concerns to management? These details matter significantly in determining eligibility.
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Aisha Khan
•This is so helpful! Yes, I requested to be moved to another wing with safer staffing in writing on February 12th, but was denied. I also sent three separate emails to my supervisor and the director about my concerns. I'll make sure to include all of that in the questionnaire. Any idea how long these cases typically take to resolve?
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Carmen Lopez
I WENT THROUGH THE EXACT SAME THING in december!! corporate takeover at my assisted living facility and suddenly we had 15 residents each instead of 8!! i quit and got DENIED initially, but I APPEALED and eventually won. took forever tho - almost 10 weeks of pure stress. PA UC system is completely broken!!!!! they deny everyone first hoping you'll just give up. DON'T GIVE UP!!!
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Andre Dupont
•Same thing at my place! Except I got fired for "insubordination" when I refused to take on more patients than was safe. My UC claim was approved right away because technically I didn't quit. System is definitely rigged to make it harder for people who do the right thing and resign instead of waiting to get fired.
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QuantumQuasar
I had a similar situation with my LPN license at risk due to unsafe assignments. For your claim to be successful, you need to prove three specific things: 1. The working conditions presented a real and substantial threat to your license or patient safety 2. You made reasonable attempts to resolve the issues before quitting 3. Quitting was the only reasonable alternative Based on your description, it sounds like you have a good case, especially with the social worker (mandated reporter) also leaving. Make sure you explain how the conditions violated specific regulations. For example, in PA nursing facilities, there are minimum staffing requirements per patient that are legally mandated. If you can show these were violated, that significantly strengthens your case. Also, be prepared that the employer will likely contest your claim - they almost always do. If denied initially, definitely appeal and request a hearing where you can present your evidence more thoroughly.
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Aisha Khan
•Thank you for breaking this down so clearly. I definitely have documentation showing we were operating below minimum staffing requirements on multiple shifts. Should I get letters from the other staff who quit explaining their reasons too? Would that help my case?
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Zoe Papanikolaou
I tried calling PA UC for 3 weeks straight about my similar situation (quit my job due to safety concerns) and couldn't get through to anyone. Finally used Claimyr.com and got connected with an agent in about 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. The agent was actually really helpful and explained exactly what documentation I'd need for my voluntary quit claim. Way better than trying to figure it out from their website or waiting for the questionnaire to arrive.
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Ethan Taylor
•i used that service too! worth it cuz i was about to lose my mind hitting redial for 3 days straight lol. the uc rep gave me the exact wording to use on my appeal form
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Jamal Wilson
My sister was in this exact spot last yr at a nursing home in pittsburgh. She quit after they kept scheduling her for 16hr shifts with no breaks. She got denied at first but won her appeal. They made her do a phone hearing with a referee and her old boss. The thing that won her case was she had tried to fix the problems first by talking to HR and requesting schedule changes. Make sure you show you tried to fix it before quitting!!! that's what the referee kept asking about.
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Aisha Khan
•This is really good to know. I did try several avenues before quitting, including meeting with the Director of Nursing and sending a formal complaint to HR. I'll make sure to emphasize those steps in my paperwork. Was your sister able to collect benefits while waiting for the appeal decision?
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Andre Dupont
just my 2 cents but most ppl i know who voluntary quit get denied first time no matter what. its like they auto-deny everyone who quits. dont panic if that happens just appeal right away
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Carmen Lopez
•THIS IS 100% TRUE!!!!! They auto-deny EVERYONE who quits and hope you'll just give up and go away!!!! Always always ALWAYS appeal the first denial!!!!
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Yuki Ito
One more important point: When documenting your case, use the specific phrase "necessitous and compelling reason" in your explanations. This is the exact legal standard PA uses for voluntary quits. Also, make sure to explain why continuing to work there would have been both: 1. A threat to your professional license 2. A potential liability issue if patient harm occurred under your care Healthcare workers have more specific protections under unemployment law precisely because you have professional licensure standards and patient safety obligations. If you receive a Notice of Determination denying benefits, you must appeal within 15 calendar days of the mail date on the notice. Do not miss this deadline.
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Aisha Khan
•I'll definitely use that exact phrase in my documentation. Thank you for mentioning the 15-day appeal window too - I had no idea it was that short. The stress of this whole situation on top of looking for a new job is overwhelming. I appreciate everyone's help so much.
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QuantumQuasar
Regarding your question about timeline - voluntary quit cases with complex circumstances like yours typically take 4-6 weeks for initial determination in PA. If denied and appealed, the appeal hearing is usually scheduled 3-4 weeks after you file the appeal. The referee typically issues a decision within 7-10 days after the hearing. So worst case, you're looking at about 10-12 weeks from initial filing to final appeal decision. Make sure you continue filing your weekly claims during this entire process, even if initially denied!
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Aisha Khan
•This is really helpful to know what to expect timeline-wise. I'll definitely keep filing weekly claims no matter what. Is there any way to request expedited processing due to financial hardship?
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Jamal Wilson
Oh! Don't forget that when you get that questionaire thing it comes with a DEADLINE. I think maybe just 7 days? My friend missed it and had to start her whole claim over from scratch! Check your portal and email everyday so you don't miss anything they send you.
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Aisha Khan
•Thank you for the warning! I've been checking my UC portal daily. Nothing has shown up yet but I'll keep watching for it. Does the deadline start from when they send it or from when I open it in the portal?
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